


The Perfect Partner

by YamiHeart



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gakuen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-19
Updated: 2015-08-19
Packaged: 2018-04-15 14:44:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4610673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YamiHeart/pseuds/YamiHeart
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With Valentine's Day right around the corner, a certain Japanese student has gotten himself stuck asking the singles in school what their ideal date would be like for an upcoming article in the school newspaper. He's certainly surprised when the biggest flirt in school reveals himself to be single, but what's even more surprising is who he has his eyes on next.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Perfect Partner

“…Oh, and if she can’t kick my ass at video games, I ain’t interested! How’s all that? Will it work for the article?”

Kiku stared at the three paragraphs he had been scribbling furiously while Gilbert rattled off the qualities of his “ideal mate”. Every “X” on the paper represented a word Kiku had to omit because it was inappropriate, and Kiku was fairly certain there were more X’s than appropriate words. The young Japanese student had no idea why  _he_  had been the one put in charge of the single’s survey for the special Valentine’s edition of the school newspaper since Feliciano was more comfortable with asking intimate questions, but his desire to not let his club down gave Kiku enough courage to try his best at the interviews. After looking over the paragraphs once more he nodded at Gilbert, though his response likely wouldn’t make it to print.

“Awesome! Make sure not to show it to my little brother, ‘cause I know he’ll just throw it out!”

Again Kiku nodded before turning his attention to Francois, who was seated at his desk with his cheek resting in his hand. “Pardon me, but are you single this year Francois?”

“I am.”

To be blunt, Kiku was shocked. He had never heard of Francois Bonnefoy being single, especially around Valentine’s Day. There was certainly no end to the line of students willing to be his date, so the problem wasn’t a lack of interest from the student body. A switch was flipped inside of Kiku at the unusual situation, and he had an uncharacteristically hard time containing his curiosity.

“I do not mean to be rude, but is there any particular reason why?”

The Frenchman shook his head. “No, not really. I just am.”

“Then…” Kiku took a seat at an empty desk adjacent to Francois. This was going to be an interview the school would actually want to read! “Do you mind me asking what qualities you are looking for in your ideal partner?”

The blond moved to lean back in his chair and gaze up at the ceiling tiles as he considered the question. Kiku was shocked for the second time that day when he noted a light blush spreading across Francois’ cheeks. The atmosphere told Kiku to anticipate a very specific description.

“Someone… muscular. Not grotesquely muscular, mind you, but… a build that defines them where it counts because they have put in the effort. Perhaps an active sports player… oh, but they must not be the obnoxious jock type. I would love someone sweet and intelligent and cozy…” He sighed, his eyes closing and his lips spreading into a soft smile. “The body of a lumberjack and the personality of a teddy bear…”

Kiku decided it was best not to comment on how obvious to whom Francois’ affections were focused. At that moment he was a reporter, not a young adult helping classmates hook-up, and so he would discuss his discovery with trusted friends later.

“Thank you for your time. Your responses shall be wonderful additions to the article.” Kiku stood and bowed to both Francois and Gilbert before taking his leave of the classroom. There were still ten minutes left before the lunch period ended, so Kiku planned on conducting a few more interviews.

“Kikuuuuuuuuuuuu!”

Kiku’s plan was temporarily put on hold, however, when rambunctious American Alfred F. Jones came speeding down the hallway and nearly knocked the small Japanese man over with the force of his hug. Kiku had never been overly-fond of touching, but with Alfred he had given up complaining because nothing seemed to get through to him.

“What’re ya doin’, man? I thought you were gonna show me some illegal cheat codes at lunch today!”

“I apologize, Alfred, but I have been entrusted with interviews for the upcoming Valentine’s Day newspaper.”

Alfred’s disappointment over Kiku’s absence at the lunch table was quickly forgotten at the mention of the possibility of being in the school newspaper. “Interviews? About what?”

It was then that Kiku put his hand to his lips as his body shook in silent laughter. “Again, I am sorry Alfred, but you cannot be interviewed this time. The questions are for people who are single, only, and you have-”

“The grumpiest Englishman on the planet as my boyfriend? Yeah, I see the problem.” Alfred finally let Kiku go to start an exaggerated show of flexing his biceps. “Sorry ladies and gentleman, but this hunk is taken. You can put that in the paper, can’t ya, Kiku?”

“Put those away before you injure someone,” scolded Arthur as he came up behind his boyfriend and pushed his flexing arms down. “Honestly, knowing you, you would end up hurting yourself first.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Alfred turned to kiss Arthur  _V-J Day in Times Square_ -style. “Love you, too, Arty.”

Kiku shook his head and turned to leave once the two love-birds began to quarrel, but his retreat was halted when he bumped into someone behind him.

“S-Sorry!”

This apology was not given by Kiku but by the man in front of him. Kiku’s eyes slowly climbed the foot and a half it took the Japanese student to meet the eyes of his Canadian classmate. Alfred’s younger half-brother, Mathieu Williams, was an often-overlooked member of the student body, but Kiku had always found him to be a perfect lab partner because little needed to be said between them. Of course, Kiku wasn’t internally excited to see Mathieu at that moment because they were lab partners.

“Mathieu, I am very glad to see you. Would you mind if I asked you a few questions the Valentine’s Day edition of our school’s newspaper?”

By that moment Mathieu had put quite a bit of space between them again as he fixed the polar bear keychain on his backpack strap. “Huh? Oh, sure, I don’t mind at all!”

“Wonderful.” Kiku flipped to a new page in his notebook and got ready to write. “You are single, correct?”

“Yep.”

“If you were to date someone, what would they ideally be like?”

Kiku watched out of the corner of his eye as Mathieu thought and blushed.

“Oh, um… I don’t know… a great cook would be nice, I guess…”

“Is that all?”

Mathieu’s eyes dropped as he got more flustered. “Well, no… I-I’d also like it if they were a huge romantic, especially if their romance bordered on clichéd sometimes… French is good… no, wait, French is great. I-I mean, it would be great if they knew French because I can speak French and I like the language, s-so… yeah… there’s that… l-looks aren’t that important to me, but a sharp lower jaw is always nice… wait, that didn’t make any sense, did it? ‘Sharp lower jaw’, wow. Don’t put that in the article, I’ll think of something better, like… like, um… blue eyes? Yeah, blue eyes. That’s a bit more romantic than a sharp jaw, right?”

What was Kiku supposed to do? They (Mathieu and Francois) literally described each other when asked what qualities their ideal partner would have! Was Kiku supposed to stay silent about the whole thing and let events unfold on their own, or did he have a duty to help push things in the right direction?

“…Kiku?”

“Everything you said was perfect, Mathieu. Now, please excuse me while I take these notes to the news room.” As with Francois and Gilbert, Kiku bowed to Mathieu before disappearing into the hallway.

Kiku didn’t have to say anything to help Mathieu and Francois along; after all, he had their feelings recorded and ready to be published.

Weeks later, Francois was spotted in the men’s locker room after a late hockey practice “appreciating” the muscular build he had been drooling over in his interview with Kiku. 


End file.
